Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Advanced Cell Technology, Inc.

Tanja Dominko

Marsha W Rolle

Fioleda Prifti

Terri Anne Camesano

Denis Kole

Christopher Malcuit

Raymond L Page

Chris Malcuit

The invention provides a scaffold of extracellular matrix polymers with recombinant chimeric peptides tethered thereto. The invention also provides recombinant chimeric peptides of antimicrobial peptides and extracellular matrix binding domains. The invention also provides methods for treating chronic wounds using the scaffold and/or recombinant chimeric peptides.

Matrix scaffold with antimicrobial activity

De-differentiation protocols are described herein for generating progenitor cells from adult connective tissue, in particular adult human fibroblasts. The de-differentiation protocols described herein comprise culturing the differentiated cells with an amount of FGF2 to de-differentiate the cells. These de-differentiated cells may then be cultured and used for experimentation, amplification and clinical applications. The clinical applications include the use of the cells for tissue and cell based therapies.

Use of basic fibroblast growth factor in the de-differentiation of animal connective tissue cells

The invention provides a method for effecting the trans-differentiation of a somatic cell, i.e., the conversion of a somatic cell of one cell type into a somatic cell of a different cell type. The method is practiced by culturing a somatic cell in the presence of at least one agent selected from the group consisting of (a) cytoskeletal inhibitors and (b) inhibitors of acetylation, and (c) inhibitors of methylation, and also culturing the cell in the presence of agents or conditions that induce differentiation to a different cell type. The method is useful for producing histocompatible cells for cell therapy.

Trans-differentiation and re-differentiation of somatic cells and production of cells for cell therapies

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Worcester, MA, United States of America

Tanja Dominko